Sulfur compound and process of making.



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CHARLES E. HITE, OF BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WALTER PINGUS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GIL-\RLES E. Hire, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Burlington and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Sulfur Compound and Process of hlaking, of which the following is a specification.

hly invention relates to an improved sulfur compound and the process of making same.

The object is to produce an improved compound of sulfur-which shall be readily soluble in water. The improved compound contains a maxin'mn'i amount of free or uneombined soluble sulfur with a minimum amount of caustic alkali, in the form of crystals, or a powder.' The entire compound is completely soluble inwater.

The process of making the compound is as followsz-To ten pounds, for example, of flower; of some "creates sulfur, preferably pulverized, is added a substantially. equal weight of causti soda. These two ingredients are thoroughly mil-zed in the dry state. The mixture is now gently heated from an external source, and stirred; the sulfur begins to melt and water is libel ated. The temperature to which the mixture is subjected is about 212 F., as the water is evaporated. the temperature rises. By the addition to this mixture of about one-half ounce of water, preferably boiling, just before heating the mixture, the rapidity of the chemical action is facilitated. The chemical action starts immediately. The

-n1ass is gently stirred while the action is going on. And the external heat is now reduced or withdrawn entirely to prevent excessive chemical action and waste of sulfur by vaporization. There is, due to the heat generated by the reaction a temperature sufficient to evaporate part of the Water liberated, without burning the sulfur, which may yet be uncombined, or the compounds formed or forming. The heat generated by the reaction is not sufficient however to complete theprocess. As the mass starts to cool rapidly, before the chemical action has been completed, it is necessary, m order to complete the chemical action, that the mass be.

again heated from an external source, stirring the mass continuously in order to liberate the steam and not vaporize the sulfur Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29. 1913.

Application filed September 24, 1910. Serial No. 583,591.

Water of combination 14c. Moisture I 0. 29% Insoluble matter 0.13% Sodium sulfite 8.38% Sodium sulfid Na s ..28.4=7% Sodium. thiosulfate 10. 82% Sodium hydroxid 0. 410% Free sulfur which is soluble in Water- 36. 98%

It has been found in practice that additional heat, beyond the heat gel'ierated by the reaction, is necessary, in order to continue and complete the chemical. action, maloing a powdered or crystal compound substantially as described. In making this product in large quantities, steam heated re ceptaelcs are used with satisfactory results. The time during which the artificial heat is necessary in the con'ipletion of the chemical reaction depends upon the mass of material to be acted upon. This compound or product, has been provcn in practice to be substantially free from caustic alkali, so that the compound is suitable, even in a concentrated form, when dissolved in water, for external applications upon the skin without burning or causing undue irritation. It is also suitable for spraying delicate plants without injury to same.

It has been well known in the art of chemistry that sulfur and a caustic alkali can be mixed with water producing a chemical reaction and liberating a certain amount of heat. The amount of caustic alkali remaining in such a mixture renders it unfit for many uses, or else there is sulfur remaining in the compound, which is not soluble in water. This compound of free sulfur produced by my method contains a large perccntage of sulfur, which is not combined with sodium in any form, and which is soluble in water, namely about 36.98% as inclicated in the above analysis. This compound can be used in the concentrated or crystallined state, or can be diluted to any extent with water. This compound may obviously be utilized in connection with other substances in the product or manufacture of medicines, lotions, soaps, salves or the like.

What I claim is V l. The process which consists in mixing together approximately equal quantitTS's'Tiy weight of powdered sulfur and caustic soda, subjcctin the mixture fd a temperature sufficiently high to evaporate a portion of the water but not high enough to vaporize any considerable amount of the sulfur, and maintaining the mixture at the required temperature until the chemical action is completed, utilizing the moisture formed.

2. The process which consists in first 1nixing together in the dry state substantially equal weights of caustic soda and powdered sulfur, then, in order to facilitate the operation, adding to the mixture just suflicicnt water to hasten a chemical action therein, and subjecting the same to a temperature suffioiently high to evaporate a portion of the water but not high enough to vaporize any consi erable amount of the sulfur to continue and complete the chemical action, stirring said mixture meanwhile until the caustic soda has been practically all combined, thereby forming sodium compounds, and rendering a certain percentage of the total sulfur, which is uucombiucd with sodium, soluble in water. 7

3. A product resulting from a mixture of substantially equal parts by weight, of sulfur and caustic soda, subjected to a temperature suflicicntly high to evaporate a portion of the water, but not high enough to vaporize any considerable amount of the sulfur, in which the caustic alkali is practically all combined with a portion of the sulfur, the balance of the sulfur uncombined with sodium, and the compound, including the uncombined sulfur, soluble in water.

l. A product resulting from a mixture of substantially equal parts by weight, of sulfur and caustic soda, subjected to a. temperature sufliciently high to evaporate a portion of the water, but not high enough to vaporize any considerable amount of the sulfur,wh1ch compound contains practically no uncombined alkali and approximately 36.98% of free sulfur uncombined with sodium and soluble in Water, substantially as per analysis given.

CHAR-LES l5. HITE.

lVitnesses Man I-IorMANN, HOWARD S. Onna.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G.

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